Tuesday, March 1, 2011

22nd Annual Chocolate Festival Was a Success!

Our 22nd Annual Chocolate Festival was very successful this year with over 700 folks going to the various inn and business stops in North Conway enjoying chocolate treats of all varieties!  Our guests very much enjoyed the event because they cross-country skied the Mt. Washington Valley Ski Touring and Snowshoe Foundation trails, which allowed them to enjoy the guilty pleasures of chocolate while burning off the calories.

At The Buttonwood Inn, participants sampled a dark chocolatey Texas Sheet Cake iced with chocolate ganache and topped with toasted pecans. 

If you enjoy chocolate, book on-line or call us at 1-800-258-2625 now to reserve a two or three-night package for the 23rd Annual Chocolate Festival on February 26, 2012!

RECIPE FOR TEXAS SHEET CAKE

Cake

2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 large egg yolks, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup sour cream
8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus extra for the pan
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder

Chocolate Ganache Icing

8 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup toasted pecans, chopped

For the Cake

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease with butter an 18 by 12-inch rimmed baking pan. 

Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.  Whisk the eggs, yolks, vanilla, and sour cream in another bowl until smooth.  Heat the chocolate, butter, oil, water, and cocoa in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until smooth, about 3-5 minutes.  Whisk the chocolate mixture into the flour mixture until combined.  Then whisk the egg mixture into the batter and pour into the baking pan.  Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 18-20 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack.

For the Icing

About 5 minutes before the cake is done, heat the butter, cream, cocoa, and corn syrup in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until smooth.  Remove from the stove and whisk in the confectioners' sugar and vanilla.  Spread the icing over the hot cake and sprinkle the pecans over it.  Let the cake cool about 1 hour, then refrigerate for 1 hour until the icing is set.  Cut into 3-inch squares.

1 comment:

  1. Great Texas sheet cake recipe. The picture of this tasty treat is mouthwatering. I especially like the chopped pecan topping; the confection sugar is a really nice touch as well. The chocolate festival must have been an amazing event to attend and be a part of, any pictures?

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